Blocking-layer cell



Dec. 30, 1947. B, of M GALL Er AL 2,433,752

BLocKING-LAYER CELL Filed Sept. -21,I 1945 BERNARDI/.5 ocTAvmn/ua MARIA GALL s( REuARvu.; VAN RoauM BY MMM ATT R/Vf Y Patented Dec. 30,1947

LoCKING-LAYER. CELL Bernardus Octavlanus Marla Gall and Reuardus van Rossum, Eindhoven, Netherlands, assignors to Hartford National Bank & Trust Co., Hartford, Conn., as trustee vApplication September 21, 1945, Serial No. 617,866 In the Netherlands January 19, 1943 Section 1, Public Law 690, August 8, 1946 Patent expires January 19, 1963 Claims. (Cl. 175-366) As appears from the name, blocking layercells consist of a plurality of layers having different electron-emitting capacities and being separated by a blocking layer. In order to secure a satisfactory operation the layers constituting the cell should intimately contact with each other throughout their active surfaces. When choosing for the various layers of the plate-shaped cells materials that can be applied in the liquidstate such an intimate contact is ensured owing to the ilrm mutual adherence. However, not all of the materials which, in themselves, are suitable for use in the various layers lend themselves to application in the liquid state. Thus, for 1nstance, excellent semi-conductors are known (lead sulphide or the like) which can be used only in the form of powder. To make a layer from such a material the powder must be moulded at a high pressure into a coherent layer, for instance on a substratum. It is obvious that this requires complicated installations, by which the process of manufacture is retarded, since the cells have to be treated piece by piece.

On the other hand it has already come to be known to make wire-shaped blocking-layer cells of the cuprous oxide type in which, consequently, the various layers are arranged concentrically. In this case use is made of a copper wire which is converted'into the desiredcopper compound in an oxygen atmosphere at the surface, followed by applying on to this copper compound a metal layer acting as a supply conductor. The contact between the copper and the copper compound does not involve diiiiculties, since the latter, as has been stated above, is obtained from the copper itself by chemical conversion.

The present invention provides means for creating a, blocking-layer cell built up of concentric layers, in which a very intimate contact is likewise obtained between the Various layers, so that a suitable value of the internal resistance is attained. According to the invention this is achieved by drawing-out the cell to the desired size.

The drawing-out of a body consisting of several layers is already known in several lines of technique, for instance in the cable technique, where the attempts were directed to providing an insulator and metal shielding means about a conductive core.` The invention, however, aims at obtaining several conductive layers which so contact with each other as to create a very low transition resistance between the various layers.

By the drawing operation ythe various layers are so deformed as to reduce the'size in a radial '2 i direction .whereas the longitudinal dimension is increased. By this deformation the particles, of which the Various layers are built up, are so pressed together as to establish an excellent contact.

For the innermost conductor a hollowv tube is preferably used. This does not only yield a saving in material but', moreover, the channel thus formed may be used for the passage of a cooling medium. i

According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention the cell comprises two massive conductors and the space between them is lled with moulded powdery material.

In the present case the expression massive is to be understood to mean that use is made of independently supporting parts. Consequently,

they may either be hollow or filled, at least in Such a cell must also comprise a blocking layer so that the materials for the conductors should be chosen in such a manner that one of the conductors consists of a material constituting a blocking layer by chemical reaction with the semi-conductor, whereas the other conductor is chemically inert with respect to the semi-conductor.

The production of the blocking layer may, for instance, take place by means of .an electric current, thus creating a limiting layer between the materials of two adjoining layers, which has such properties as to be able to act as a blocking layer.

In order that the invention may be clearly understood and readily carried into effect, it will now be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawing.

Fig. 1 is a section of a single cell.

Fig. 2 represents a unit comprising two seriesconnected concentrically arranged cells.

Fig. 3 represents a unit in which two cells are connected in opposite sense so that they may serve for two-phase rectification, -as is shown diagrammatically in the drawing. f

For the manufacture of a cell as shown in Fig. 1 use is made of a copper tube I having a diameter of 12 mm. and a wall thickness of 1 mm., in which is provided a magnesium wire 2 having cells consist of one conductive layer.

3 a diameter of 8 mm. The space between the two conductors is filled up with powdery lead sulphide 3, whereupon the system thus obtained is nrst subjected to a. preliminary treatment in a l swaging installation to obtain the required density of the powdery material.v After that the systern is drawn out, the degree of deformation belng so chosen that the diameter is decreased at wise, as shown in the drawing. The electrical connection to the conductor I is enabled by a cylindrical copper strip 4 which is soldered thereto and is furnished with a soldering tag 5. The blocking layer between the magnesium and the lead sulphidels obtained by formation of the cell by means of an electric current.

Fig. 2 represents a unit which is built up in such manner that the various layers of the cells, viewed in a radial direction succeed each other in such a manner that the cells are connected in series with each other. The innermost conductor 6 is hollow and constitutes the conductive electrode of the innermost cell denoted by A. The semi-conductive layer 1 consists. of a moulded powder; the supply conductor for this electrode bears the reference numeral 8. The cell B consists of three layers E', I and 8 having -the same composition as the layers 6, 1 and 8. For the reasons referred to above the layers are cut stepwise also in this case. with a greater length of the cell the dilerence in length between the layers 8' and 6 is of no effect. l

Fig.v 3 represents a unit consisting of two cells,

It will be obvious thatments, and allayer of semi-conductive material interposed between said conductor elements, said conductor elements and said layer being 'in the form of an integral drawn assembly and having their adjacent surface portions in intimate contacting relationship with each other.

2. A blocking layer cell comprising a plurality of spaced concentrically arranged conductive tubular elements, and a layer of powdery semiconductive material interposed between said tubular elements, said tubular elements and said layer being in the form of an integral drawn assembly andhaving their adjacent surface portions in intimate contacting relationship with each other.

3. A blocking layer cell comprising a rst element of a metal selected from the group consisting of tin, lead, zinc, iron, and copper, a second metal tubular element spaced from and concentric to said first element, and a layer of a powdery semi-conductive sulfide interposed between ,said elements, said tubular elements and said in which the cells are connected in opppsite sense.

In this case the adjoining electrodes' of the two The construction is as fo'lows. The innermost conductor 9 consists of a tube about which is provided the semi-conductive electrode I0. The layer III is surrounded 'by the electrode II. trode constitutes at the same time an electrode for the cell, which comprises the layers I 2 and I3 consisting of the same material as the layers I0 and 9 respectively. The electrical connection of the layer I3 to an external circuit is established by means of a copper wire I4- which is wound several times about the layer I3 and is firmly connected thereto by means of solder I5. The electrodes 9 and II are also furnished with connecting means viz. strips having soldering tags I6 and I1 similarly to Fig. l. The circuit arrangement of such further appears from the drawing.

As an alternative a unit may consist 0f a combination of the constructions shown in Figures 2 and 3. In this case two cells may, for instance, beconnected in series, which cells are connected in opposite sense to two other series-connected cells to enable two-phase rectiiicatlon as shown in Fig. 3.

Furthermore, materials other than those referred to above may be used, the blocking layer then being provided either on the innermost or on the outermost conductor. It is also possible to add to the semi-conductor a material giving up oxygen, which material together with the ma- This eleclayer being in the form of an integral drawn assembly and having adjacent surface portions in intimate contacting relationship with each other.

4. A blocking layer cell comprising a first ele- 4 ment, a second element spaced from and concentrically surrounding said first element, a powdery semi-conductive sulfide layer interposed between said elementsf-and a blocking layer interposed between said sulde layer and one of said elements, one of said elements consisting of a f metal chemically inert with respect to said sulfide layer, the other of said elements consisting cfa metal chemically active with respect to said sulfide layer, and said elements and said sulfide layer being in the form of an integral drawn assembly having adjacent surface portions of said elements and said layers in intimate contacting relationship with each other. v

5. A bocking layer cell comprising a cylindrical element of magnesium, a tubular elementL of copper concentrically surrounding said first element and spaced therefrom, a layer of powdery semi-conductive lead sulfide interposed between said sulde layer and saidmagnesium element, said elements and said sullde layer being in the form of an integral drawn assembly having adjacent surface portions of said elements and said layers in intimate contacting relationship with each other.

6. A blocking layer cell unit comprising a first elementof magnesium, a second tubular element of copper concentrically surrounding said first element and spaced therefrom, a layer of powdery semi-conductive lead sulfide interposed between said elements, a-blocking layer interposed between Said sulfide layer and said magnesium element, a third tubular element of magnesium concentrically surrounding said copper element, a fourth tubular element of copper concentrically surrounding said third element and spaced therefrom, a layer of powdery semi-conductive lead sulde interposed between said third and fourth of copper concentrically surrounding said iiirstA element and spaced therefrom, a layer of powdery semi-conductive lead sulfide interposed between said elements, a blocking layer interposed between the sulfide layer and said magnesium element, a third tubular element of magnesium concentrically surrounding said copper element and spaced therefrom, a second layer of powdery semi-conductive lead sulfide interposed between said second and third layers, and a second block ing layer interposed between said second layer of lead sulfide and said third element magnesium. said elements and said sulfide layers being in the form of an integral drawn assembly having adjacent surface portions of said elements and said layers in intimate contacting relationship with each other. h

8. The method of manufacturing a blocking layer cell comprising the steps of, interposing a semi-conductive material between two spaced concentrically arranged conductor elements, and

drawing said elements and said interposed material to elongate the same and position said ele 'ments in contacting relationship with said semiconductive material.

6 y 9. The method of manufacturing a blocking layer cell comprising the steps of interposing a powdery semi-conductive material between two spaced concentrically arranged conductor elements, drawing said elements and said'interposed material to elongate the same and position said elements in intimate contact with said semi-conductive material, and forming a blocking layer between said semi-conductive-material and one of said elements. "X

v10. The method of manufacturing a blocking layer cell comprising the steps of interposing a layer of semi-conductive lead sulfide between two spaced concentrically arranged conductor elements of copper and magnesium respectively,l

drawing said elements and interposed layer to elongate the same and position said elements in intimate contact with said semi-conductive layer,

and forming a blocking layer between said semiconductive layer and said magnesium element.

BERNARDUS OCTAVIANUS MARIA GALL.

' RENARDUS vAN ROSSUM. Y

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,751,361 Ruben Mar. 18, 1930 1,842,212 Slepian Jan. 19; 1932 2,162,740 Mirick June 20, 1939 2,189,617 Siebert Feb. 6. 1940 2,399,773 -Waintrob May 7, 1943 

